By Krishna Dua 
SagRanjitar Dam Hits Danger Level: Floods Worsen in Punjab
The state of Punjab is facing a grave flood crisis as a result of incessant and heavy rainfall in its upper catchment areas, particularly in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. The situation has turned critical as the Ranjit Sagar Dam (also known as the Thein Dam), a vital piece of infrastructure on the Ravi River, has surpassed its maximum permissible water level. This alarming development has forced dam authorities to release massive volumes of water, a move that is worsening the flood situation in downstream areas, especially in the Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar districts. In a decisive move to protect its citizens, the Punjab government has ordered all schools in the state to remain closed from August 27 to August 30.
Dam Levels Reach and Breach Critical Thresholds
The core of the current crisis is the unprecedented surge of water into Punjab’s major dams. The Ranjit Sagar Dam, with a maximum capacity of 527.91 meters (1,732 feet), has seen its water level soar to over 528 meters. This is a direct consequence of phenomenal rainfall in the catchment areas. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Punjab has received an astonishing 1,643% excess rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday morning, with 54mm of rain against a normal of just 3.1mm. This has left dam authorities with no option but to discharge large volumes of water to prevent a catastrophic dam failure.
On Tuesday, August 26, approximately 1.1 lakh cusecs of water were released from the Ranjit Sagar Dam, causing the Ravi River to swell to dangerous levels. Reports indicate that the outflow will continue to be significant as the dam’s water level is still being managed. Other major dams in the state are also under immense pressure. The Pong Dam on the Beas River has already crossed its full capacity, touching 1,393.13 feet against a maximum level of 1,390 feet, leading to a discharge of over 94,000 cusecs. Similarly, the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River is being closely monitored by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which has decided to maintain its water level at 1,667.20 feet, even with an inflow of 48,000 cusecs, to avoid further flooding downstream.
Devastation in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar
The massive water discharge from the Ranjit Sagar Dam has had an immediate and devastating impact on villages situated along the banks of the Ravi River and its tributaries. In Pathankot, villages in the Narot Jaimal Singh and Bamial blocks have been inundated, with floodwaters entering homes and submerging vast tracts of agricultural land. The Ujh and Jalalia rivers, tributaries of the Ravi, are also in spate, compounding the problem.
Reports from the ground paint a grim picture:
- Widespread Flooding: Villages such as Makhanpur, Pola, Taas, and Bahadurpur have been submerged. In Gurdaspur, a breach in an embankment near Pamma village has caused flooding in Pamma and Kohliyan villages.
- Rescue and Evacuation: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, and the Border Security Force (BSF) have been deployed to conduct large-scale rescue and evacuation operations. In Pathankot, helicopters and boats were used to rescue stranded villagers, including a family of seven from Taas village. In Gurdaspur, over 400 students and staff of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Daburi village were trapped by floodwaters and are being rescued by the NDRF and Army.
- Infrastructure Damage: The floodwaters have caused breaches in river embankments (known as Dhussi Bundhs), further worsening the situation. The Pathankot-Jammu National Highway has been affected, and rail traffic has been temporarily suspended on the Pathankot Cantonment-Kandrori section due to soil erosion. In Amritsar, three three-storey buildings collapsed due to the constant rain, though no casualties were reported.
Government Response and Relief Measures
The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has activated a full-fledged disaster response mechanism to tackle the crisis on a war footing. All government officials and employees have had their leave canceled to ensure maximum on-ground presence.
- School Closures: The most significant public measure taken is the closure of all government and private schools across the state from August 27 to August 30. This decision was made to ensure the safety of students and to free up school buildings for use as relief camps for the displaced.
- Relief and Rescue Efforts: Relief camps have been set up in multiple locations, including schools in Taragarh and Narot Jaimal Singh in Pathankot. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has also stepped in, arranging shelter and community kitchens (langar) at historical gurdwaras to provide food and shelter to the affected.
- Compensation: The government has announced that a special Girdwari (revenue survey) will be conducted to assess the damages to crops and infrastructure, and compensation will be provided to the affected farmers and residents.
The flood situation is expected to remain critical as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more heavy rain for the next few days in the catchment areas of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. This will likely lead to further increases in water levels in the dams and rivers, necessitating continued rescue and relief operations. While the response from authorities has been swift, the long-term recovery for the flood-affected communities will be a long and challenging process